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  • #BroaderBookshelf 2021 - Young Adult Romance Novels
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#BroaderBookshelf 2021 - Young Adult Romance Novels

  • Sara M.
  • Monday, February 22, 2021

Collection

Fulfill the "Read a Romance Novel" prompt for this year's Broader Bookshelf challenge with one of these young adult romances!  They're great books for teens and they also have a lot of crossover appeal for adults.  All of the subgenres in adult romance appear in YA romance as well, so you're sure to find something you love here!

A romance novel isn't just a book that happens to have a love story in it - romance is an enormously popular genre with its own conventions, subgenres, and devoted readers that brings in a billion dollars a year and makes up almost a quarter of all books published in America.  A true romance novel has to have two things: a central love story which is the focus of the novel and a satisfying, optimistic ending.  It doesn't have to be "happily ever after", but a true romance novel is at least "happy for now". Romances can also be sad, funny, thoughtful, and suspenseful, and are written by, about, and for a wide variety of people - even if you don't think you like romance, if you like books about people experiencing human emotion there's one for you!

 

Learn more about the Broader Bookshelf challenge and see more lists here.

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Simon Vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Albertalli, Becky, author.
Published in 2015
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn't play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone's business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he's been emailing, will be compromised. With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon's junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he's pushed out -- without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he's never met.
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Book
 
The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You

The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You

Anderson, Lily, 1988- author.
Published in 2016
After years of competing against each other, Trixie and Ben form a fandom-based tentative friendship when their best friends start dating each other, but after Trixie's friend gets expelled for cheating they have to choose which side they are on.
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Book
 
An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason

An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason

Boecker, Virginia, author.
Published in 2018
"Two star-crossed assassins in Elizabethan England must go undercover as actors in one of William Shakespeare's plays in a plot to kill the queen"-- Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit

Brown, Jaye Robin, author.
Published in 2016
Joanna Gordon has been out and proud for years, but when her popular radio evangelist father remarries and decides to move all three of them from Atlanta to the more conservative Rome, Georgia, he asks Jo to do the impossible: to lie low for the rest of her senior year. And Jo reluctantly agrees. Although it is (mostly) much easier for Jo to fit in as a straight girl, things get complicated when she meets Mary Carlson, the oh-so-tempting sister of her new friend at school. But Jo couldn't possibly think of breaking her promise to her dad. Even if she's starting to fall for the girl. Even if there's a chance Mary Carlson might be interested in her, too. Right?
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Book
 
American Panda

American Panda

Chao, Gloria, 1986- author.
Published in 2018
A freshman at MIT, seventeen-year-old Mei Lu tries to live up to her Taiwanese parents' expectations, but no amount of tradition, obligation, or guilt prevent her from hiding several truths--that she is a germaphobe who cannot become a doctor, she prefers dancing to biology, she decides to reconnect with her estranged older brother, and she is dating a Japanese boy.
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Book
 
Emergency Contact

Emergency Contact

Choi, Mary H. K., author.
Published in 2019
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Book
 
Something in Between

Something in Between

De la Cruz, Melissa, 1971- author.
Published in 2016
After learning of her family's illegal immigrant status, Jasmine realizes that college may be impossible and that deportation is a real threat, uncertainties she endures as she falls for the son of a congressman who opposes an immigration reform bill.
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Book
 
This Lullaby

This Lullaby

Dessen, Sarah, author.
Published in 2002
Raised by a mother who has had five husbands, eighteen-year-old Remy believes in short-term, no-commitment relationships until she meets Dexter, a rock band musician.
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Book
 
Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel

Farizan, Sara.
Published in 2014
High school junior Leila's Persian heritage already makes her different from her classmates at Armstead Academy, and if word got out that she liked girls life would be twice as hard, but when a new girl, Saskia, shows up, Leila starts to take risks she never thought she would, especially when it looks as if the attraction between them is mutual, so she struggles to sort out her growing feelings by confiding in her old friends.
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Book
 
My Life Next Door

My Life Next Door

Fitzpatrick, Huntley.
Published in 2012
When Samantha, the seventeen-year-old daughter of a wealthy, perfectionistic, Republican state senator, falls in love with the boy next door, whose family is large, boisterous, and just making ends meet, she discovers a different way to live, but when her mother is involved in a hit-and-run accident Sam must make some difficult choices.
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Book
 
Just One Day

Just One Day

Forman, Gayle.
Published in 2013
"Sparks fly when American good girl Allyson encounters laid-back Dutch actor Willem, so she follows him on a whirlwind trip to Paris, upending her life in just one day and prompting a year of self-discovery and the search for true love."-- Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
The Way You Make Me Feel

The Way You Make Me Feel

Goo, Maurene, author.
Published in 2018
"Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dads business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind? With Maurene Goo's signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places youd never thought to look"--Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
To All the Boys I've Loved Before

To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Han, Jenny, author.
Published in 2016
"Lara Jean writes love letters to all the boys she has loved and then hides them in a hatbox until one day those letters are accidentally sent"-- Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
Let's Talk About Love

Let's Talk About Love

Kann, Claire, author.
Published in 2018
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Book
 
Letters to the Lost

Letters to the Lost

Kemmerer, Brigid, author.
Published in 2017
"Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother, a world famous photojournalist--even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. When Declan finds a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist the urge to write back. Soon, he is sharing his pain with a perfect stranger. When real life interferes with their secret life of letters, Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart"-- Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
Breathe, Annie, Breathe.

Breathe, Annie, Breathe.

Kenneally, Miranda.
Published in 2014
From the bestselling author of Catching Jordan comes a brand new contemporary YA you won't forget. The finish line is only the beginning... Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can't escape the guilt that if she hadn't broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honor his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race. But the training is even more grueling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she's at war with her body, her mind-and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted. She wants to run into his arms...and sprint in the opposite direction. For Annie, opening up to love again may be even more of a challenge than crossing the finish line.
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Ebook
Everything Leads to You

Everything Leads to You

LaCour, Nina, author.
Published in 2014
While working as a film production designer in Los Angeles, Emi Price finds a mysterious letter from a silver screen legend which leads her to Ava, who is about to expand Emi's understanding of family, acceptance, and true romance.
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Book
 
Autoboyography

Autoboyography

Lauren, Christina, author.
Published in 2017
High school senior Tanner Scott has hidden his bisexuality since his family moved to Utah, but he falls hard for Sebastian, a Mormon mentoring students in a writing seminar Tanner's best friend convinced him to take.
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Book
 
Boy Meets Boy

Boy Meets Boy

Levithan, David.
Published in 2005
Love is never easy. Especially if you're Paul. He's a sophomore at a high school like no other, and these are his friends: Infinite Darlene, the homecoming queen and star quarterback. Joni, Paul's best friend who may not be his best friend anymore. Tony, his other best friend, who can't leave the house unless his parents think he's going on a date ... with a girl. Kyle, the ex-boyfriend who won't go away. Rip, the school bookie, who sets the odds ... and Noah, the boy. The one who changes everything.
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Book
 
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

Matson, Morgan.
Published in 2010
After the death of her father, Amy, a high school student, and Roger, a college freshman, set out on a carefully planned road trip from California to Connecticut, but wind up taking many detours, forcing Amy to face her worst fears and come to terms with her grief and guilt.
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Book
 
The Weight of Feathers

The Weight of Feathers

McLemore, Anna-Marie, author.
Published in 2015
Although Lace Paloma knows all about the feud between the Palomas and the Corbeaus, she finds herself falling for Cluck Corbeau when he saves her life while both families are performing in the same town.
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Book
 
When Dimple Met Rishi

When Dimple Met Rishi

Menon, Sandhya, author.
Published in 2017
When Dimple Shah and Rishi Patel meet at a Stanford University summer program, Dimple is avoiding her parents' obsession with "marriage prospects" but Rishi hopes to woo her into accepting an arranged marriage with him.
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Book
 
Foolish Hearts

Foolish Hearts

Mills, Emma, 1989- author.
Published in 2017
Claudia agrees to coach actors in her high school's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream," leading to new friendships--and maybe even new love.
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Book
 
Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss

Perkins, Stephanie.
Published in 2010
When Anna's romance-novelist father sends her to an elite American boarding school in Paris for her senior year of high school, she reluctantly goes, and meets an amazing boy who becomes her best friend, in spite of the fact that they both want something more.
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Book
 
Geekerella

Geekerella

Poston, Ashley, author.
Published in 2017
Geek girl Ellie hopes to go to ExcelsiCon Cosplay to meet the actor (closet nerd Darien) scheduled to play Federation Prince Carmindor in a reboot of the movie Starfield.
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Book
 
If I Was Your Girl

If I Was Your Girl

Russo, Meredith.
Published in 2016
A new kind of big-hearted novel about being seen for who you really are. Amanda Hardy is the new girl in school. Like anyone else, all she wants is to make friends and fit in. But Amanda is keeping a secret, and she's determined not to get too close to anyone. But when she meets sweet, easygoing Grant, Amanda can't help but start to let him into her life. As they spend more time together, she realizes just how much she is losing by guarding her heart. She finds herself yearning to share with Grant everything about herself, including her past. But Amanda's terrified that once she tells him the truth, he won't be able to see past it. Because the secret that Amanda's been keeping? It's that at her old school, she used to be Andrew. Will the truth cost Amanda her new life, and her new love? Meredith Russo's If I Was Your Girl is a universal story about feeling different?and a love story that everyone will root for.
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Ebook
Summer of Sloane

Summer of Sloane

Schneider, Erin L., author.
Published in 2016
Seventeen-year-old Sloane McIntyre spends a summer in Hawaii as she deals with being betrayed by both her boyfriend and her best friend, and she and her twin brother, Penn, begin new, complicated, romances.
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Book
 
My So-called Bollywood Life

My So-called Bollywood Life

Sharma, Nisha, 1985- author.
Published in 2018
Betrayed by Raj, who she thought she was fated to marry, seventeen-year-old Winnie Mehta teams with fellow film fan Dev to get her life back on track and find her true soul mate.
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Book
 
The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

Smith, Jennifer E., 1980-
Published in 2012
Hadley and Oliver fall in love on the flight from New York to London, but after a cinematic kiss they lose track of each other at the airport until fate brings them back together on a very momentous day.
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Ebook
The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

Spalding, Amy, author.
Published in 2018
Fashion-obsessed Abby Ives lands an internship at her favorite boutique for the summer, but falls for her fellow intern Jordi Perez, against whom she is vying for the one paid position at the end of the internship.
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Book
 
The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls

The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls

Spotswood, Jessica, author.
Published in 2018
One summer will challenge everything the Garrett sisters thought they knew about themselves-and each other in this captivating new novel by Jessica Spotswood. As the oldest, Des shoulders a lot of responsibility for her family and their independent bookstore. Except it's hard to dream big when she's so busy taking care of everyone else. Vi has a crush on the girl next door. It makes her happy and nervous, but Cece has a boyfriend...so it's not like her feelings could ever be reciprocated, right? Kat lands the lead in the community theater's summer play, but the drama spills offstage when her ex and his new girlfriend are cast too. Can she get revenge by staging a new romance of her own? Bea and her boyfriend are heading off to college together in the fall, just like they planned when they started dating. But Bea isn't sure she wants the same things as when she was thirteen... Told through four alternating points of view, readers will laugh, cry, and fall in love alongside the Garrett girls.
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Ebook
Stay Sweet

Stay Sweet

Vivian, Siobhan, author.
Published in 2018
Seventeen-year-old Amelia has looked forward to her last summer before college working at the Meade Creamery, but when the owner of the local landmark passes away her nephew has big changes in mind.
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Book
 
Love & Gelato

Love & Gelato

Welch, Jenna Evans, author.
Published in 2016
"After her mother dies, Lina travels to Italy where she discovers her mothers's journal and sets off on an adventure to unearth her mother's secrets"-- Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
P.S. I Like You

P.S. I Like You

West, Kasie, author.
Published in 2016
Every day in chemistry class, high school student and aspiring songwriter Lily Abbott is finding notes left to her by a mystery boy, love letters really, and she hopes they are from Lucas, a boy she is attracted to--so when she finds out they are really from, she is shocked and unsure about how to respond.
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Book
 
Queens of Geek

Queens of Geek

Wilde, Jen, author.
Published in 2017
"Three friends go to a convention and find love--and themselves"-- Provided by publisher.
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Book
 
The Sun Is Also a Star

The Sun Is Also a Star

Yoon, Nicola.
Published in 2016
The Instant New York Times Bestseller! Soon to be a Major Motion Picture! The dazzling new novel from Nicola Yoon, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything (in theaters May 2017!), will have you falling in love with Natasha and Daniel as they fall in love with each other! Natasha: I'm a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I'm definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won't be my story. Daniel: I've always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents' high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store?for both of us. The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true? *** A 2016 National Book Award Finalist A New York Times Notable Book A BuzzFeed Best YA Book of the Year A POPSUGAR Best Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A Booklist Editor's Choice A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens An Amazon Best Book of the Year " Beautifully crafted ."? People Magazine "A book that is very much about the many factors that affect falling in love, as much as it is about the very act itself . . . fans of Yoon's first novel, Everything Everything , will find much to love ?if not, more?in what is easily an even stronger follow up." ? Entertainment Weekly " Transcends the limits of YA as a human story about falling in love and seeking out our futures." ?POPSUGAR.com ? "An exhilarating, hopeful novel exploring identity, family, the love of science and the science of love, dark matter and interconnectedness?is about seeing and being seen and the possibility of love... a nd it shines." ? Shelf Awareness, starred review ? ? "Moving and suspenseful ." ? Publishers Weekly , starred review ? ? "Fans of Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars are destined to fall for Daniel and Natasha ." ? The Horn Book , starred review ? "Lyrical and sweeping, full of hope, heartbreak, fate . . . and the universal beating of the human heart." ? Booklist , starred review ?" Profound . . . both deeply moving and satisfying."? Kirkus , starred review ?"A love story that is smart without being cynical, heartwarming without being cloying, and schmaltzy in all the best ways ." ? The Bulletin , starred review "This wistful love story will be adored by fans of Rainbow Rowell's Eleanor & Park." ?SLJ Praise for Everything, Everything : "[A] fresh, moving debut." ? Entertainment Weekly " Gorgeous and lyrical ." ? The New York Times Book Review " Will give you butterflies ." ? Seventeen "A do-not-miss for fans of John Green and Rainbow Rowell (aka everyone)." ? Justine "YA book lovers, your newest obsession is here."?MTV.com
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Author

Sara M.

Research and Readers' Advisory Librarian

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